Air cooled barber chair



' M y 5, 1964 T. H. SPAULDING AIR COOLED BARBER CHAIR Filed Aug. 28.1961 IN VEN TOR. [edfim M idea/0077 BY A TTORNEYS United States Patent3,131,967 AIR COOLED BARBER CHAR Tedford H. Spaulding, Chicago, 111.,assignor to Emil J. Paidar Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Filed Aug. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 134,315 7 Claims. {61. 297-189)The present invention relates to improvements in barber chairs andparticularly to an improved mechanism and method for comforting anoccupant of a mechanical chair having adjustable and movable parts.

In a barber chair the chair occupant sits beneath a cloth which isthrown over him for preventing hair clippings and trimmings from fallingon his person and clothing. This prevents normal circulation of air inthe room from reaching the occupant and can cause discomfort.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of -a mechanism fordirecting a flow of air across the lap and beneath the cloth over anoccupant in a barber chair that is operable in la chair which isrevolvable and elevatable, and wherein the rate of flow of air isselectively controllable by the occupant so that he can change the "airflow with change of his position as the back and seatrests are loweredand raised so as to change the quantity of flow necessary.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanismfor creating a directed flow of air across the lap of a barber chairoccupant and for creating a flow of beneath the cloth or shroud of theoccupant of the chair for an overall comforting effect and for aiding inpreventing hair from contacting the chair occupant by generating a flowof out from underneath the cloth. a

A further object of the invention is to provide an air flow creatingmeans for a barber chair wherein the air emerges at an optimum locationfor flow beneath the barbering cloth and wherein the occupant canselectively control the rate of flow of air for creating a slightlypressui ized atmosphere beneath the cloth which can be changed withchange in position of chair parts and position of the occupant.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism forproviding a flow of comforting air across an occupant in a barber chairwherein the mechanism does not interfere with the normal functions ofthe chair and permits lowering and raising rotation of the chair.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an air flow meansfor a barber chair utilizing components of the chair for dual purposesand providing air emission openings which will not provide a sanitationproblem and which will prevent hair from entering into air supplyconduits.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air flow system for amechanical chair wherein the conduits are conveniently positioned andadapted for preparation of the air before it is discharged such as byheating or cooling.

Other objects, advantages and features will become more apparent withthe teaching of the principles of the invention in connection with thedisclosure of the preferred embodiments thereof in the specification,claims and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a barber chair constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, with portions broken away,showing the flow mechanism for the chair;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a circuitmechanism for operating the blower;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing elements of thecircuit mechanism of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a wiring diagram illustrating a portion of the electricalcontrol mechanism; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong line VIVI of FIGURE 2.

As shown on the drawings:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a barber chair 10 having a frame shown generally at11 which is mounted on a base 12 so as to be elevatable and rotatablethereon. The frame supports a seat 13 with a backrest 14 and a footrest(shown in part). The chair occupant, or customer in a barber shop, isseated in the chair on the seat 13, and the backrest and footrest arerespectively reclinable and elevatable for the comfort of the occupantand the con venience of the barber, the backrest and footrest beingadjustable or movable to the dotted line positions as shown in FIGURE 1.

At the sides of the seat and suitably secured on the frame are armrestassemblies 16 and 17 including vertical hollow columns 18 and 19 withvertical planar inwardly facing surfaces having emitting openings 21 and22 formed therein. The columns are positioned so that they will rigidlyand conveniently support armrest-s 2s and 27 at their upper ends, and sothat the openings 21 and 22 will be positioned to direct a how of airagainst the sides and across the lap of a chair occupant. Tl'hisposition for the openings is advantageous in that the barber cloth tendsto form a hollow space or gap at the base of the occupants lap and aflow of air directed beneath the cloth at that location will flowupwardly across the stomach and chest of the occupant and downwardlyalong his legs, for optimum comfort.

At one side of the chair is mounted a control arm for rotating the chairas indicated by the anrowed line 23, or raising or lowering the chair,as indicated by the larro-wed line 24. Usually the chair will be lockedby a brake which is releasable for manual rotation of the chair, and thechair is raised or lowered by a hydraulic "control mechanism operating acylinder within a piston. This mechanism need not be shown in detail,:as will be fully appreciated by those skilled in the Supported beneaththe chair frame under the chair seat is a lateral conduit 28 whichconnects at its ends with the hollow chair columns 18 and 19. A motor 29driving a fan an :air intake opening 30 is supported within the conduitand will be delivered simultaneously in both lateral directions to theside arm columns [18 and '19. in some structures it maybe desirable tofurther condition the air which is drawn in such as by providing coolersor heaters at locations 31. These may be electrically energized andoperated through suitable switch means and can be thermostaticallycontrolled. For example, electric heating elements may be utilized ifthe air is to be heated, or thermoelectric cells operating under thePeltier eifect may be employed for either heating or cooling the air,with heating or cooling accomplished by controlling the direction offlow of electricity.

The fan motor 29 is provided with a control switch 32, FIGURES 2 and 5,which makes it possible to regu late the rate of air delivery. Thiscontrol of air flow is significant for the comfort of the occupant, andthe function of the flowing air both generates a comfort zone beneaththe barber cloth for the occupant, and the emerging flow of air keepshair from falling beneath the cloth on the person of the occupant. Asthe occupant changes his position with change in position of thebackrest 14 or the footrest 1'5, different rates of flow will be foundto be desirable, and this is easily controlled by the occupant throughthe control switch 32 which is provided with a convenient manuallyoperable knob as shown in FIG- URES l and 2. The knob may also beoperated by the 3 V barber if desired. As shown in the wiring diagram ofFIGURE 5, the switch 32 may be a simple rheostat control or other typesof speed controls may be employed. Electrical power is brought to thechair to operate the 'motor an'd/ or the air conditioning elements 31through an electrical circuit which is adapted to accommodate rotationof the upper part of the chair while the lower base remains stationary.The circuit is illustrated as incorporating slip ring connectors 33,FIGURES 3 through 5. V

The frame of the chair may be suitably attached to the upper end of alift tube 34 which is supported in a suitable bearing, not shown, in thechair base 12. At the top of the lift tube is a plate 35 for securing tothe frame, and the plate is lifted by a piston rod 36 connected to apiston within a cylinder 37. Within the lift tube are the slip ringassemblies 33, shown in'stacked arrangement in FIGURE 3 for providing arequired number. Electrical energy is brought to'the chair base throughleads 39 which connect to ring portions of the slip ring assembly, andthe rings are engagcd'by brush portions connected to leads 45 and 4-6leading to the control switch 32 and to the motor 29.

in a preferred form of slip ringarrangement, as shown in FIGURES 3 and'4, the cylinder 37 has a continuation sleeve 40 with the groovestherein for receiving the leads 39, and the upper end of each of theleads is connected to a non-rotatable slip ring 41 supported on asupport ring 42 mounted non-rotatably on the sleeve 49. Projectingthrough an annular rotatable disk are rods 44, and the leads 45 and 46are connected to the insulated upper ends of the rods as shown in FIGURE3. Brushes 43 are supported on the disk/58, and the rods move up anddown with the chair frame to slide against the brushes 43, and thebrushes rotate with the chair frame and with the disk 38 to slide'on thestationary rings 41. In this manner the circuit accommodates up and downmovement and rotation of the chair frame.

Operation of the fan 29 draws air up through the opening 30 and directsit laterally through the conduit 28 whereupon it flows up into the twoside. arm columns 18 and '19 and out through the opcnings 22. The airflow, as shown by the arrowed lines in-FIGURE 6, is directed slightlydownwardly across the lap of the occupant by the portions .47. Theseportions are cut from the opening 22 and are forced inwardly to extendinwardly and upwardly from the base ofthe openings. This arrangementalso prevents hair from falling downwardly and entering thehollowcolumns 18 and '19.

, Thus it willbe seen that ,I have provided an improved barber chairwhich meets the objectives and advantages aboveset forth. It will ofcourse be recognized that this arrangement may be used on other types ofchairs although advantages are afforded in the barber chair combinationillustrated.

The drawings and specification present a detailed disclosure of thepreferred embodiments of the invention, and it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the specific forms disclosed, but coversall modifications, changes and alternative constructions and methodsfalling within the scope of the principles taught by the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A barber chair comprising a chair frame rotatably and elevatablymounted on a base, a seat on said frame, hollow vertical armrest columnson the frame at the sides of the seat having inwardly facing surfacesand outwardly facing surfaces, means defining air emission openings insaid inwardly facing surfaces for directing a flow of air beneath abarber cloth over an occupant in the chair, the outwardly facingsur-faces being entirely imperforate so that the entire volume of airwill discharge inwardly, conduit means including the hollowarmrestcolumns for channelling a flow of air to said openings, a blower fordirecting a flow of air through said conduit means, and an electricalcircuit connected to operate the blower extending up through the base ofthe chair and adapted to accommodate elevation and rotation of the chairframe with respect to the base.

2. A barber chair comprising a chair frame rotatably and elevatablymounted on a base, a seat on said frame, hollow vertical arm restcolumns on the frame at the sides of the seat having inwardly facingsurfaces and outwardly facing surfaces, means defining air emissionopenings in said inwardly facing surfaces for directing a flow ofbeneath a barber cloth over an occupant in the chair, the outwardlyfacing surfaces being entirely imperforate so that the entire volume ofair will discharge inwardly, conduit means including the hollow arm restcolumns for channelling a flow of air to said openings, said conduitmeans further including a closed conduit beneath the seatinterconnecting said arm rest columns and having an air inlet beneaththe seat, a blower for directing a flow of air through said conduitmeans housed in said conduit beneath the seat, and an electrical circuitconnected to operate the blower extending up through the base of thechair and adapted to accommodate elevation and rotation of the chairframe with respect to the base.

3. A barber chair comprising a chair frame rotatably' rest columns onthe frame at the sides of the seat with' said columns having inwardlyfacing surfaces and outwardly facing surfaces, means defining airemission openings in the inwardly facing surfaces for directing a flowof air beneath a barber cloth over an occupant in the chair with theentire volume of air flowing through said conduit means being emittedthrough said emission openings, a blower for directing a flow of airthrough said conduit means, and an electrical circuit connected tooperate the blower extending up to the base of-the chair and adapted toaccommodate elevation and rotation of the chair frame with respect tothe base. i

4. A barber chair comprising, a chair frame rotatably and elevatablymounted on a base, a seat on said frame, hollow arm rest members on theframe at the sides of the seat having inwardly facing surfaces andoutwardly facing surfaces, means defining air emission openings in saidinwardly facing surfaces for directing a flow of air beneath a barbercloth over an occupant in the chair, and blower means providing a flowof air through said hollow arm rest members with the entire flow of airfrom said blower means being discharged through said air emissionopenings in the inwardly facing surfaces.

5. A barber'chair comprising a chair frame rotatably and elevatablymounted on a base, a seat on said frame, air flow conduit meansincluding chambers defined within hollow arm rest columns on the frameat the sides of the seat with said columns having inwardly facingsurfaces, means defining air emission openings in said inwardly facingsurfaces for directing a flow of air beneath a barber cloth over anoccupant in the chair, a blower housed within said conduit meansfordirecting a flow of air through said conduit means with the entiredischarge of said blowerpassing through said air emission opentings, anelectrical'circuit connected to operate a blower extending up throughthe base of the chair and adapted to accommodate elevation and rotationof the chair frame with respect to the base.

V 6. A barber chair comprisinga chair frame rotatably and elevatablymounted on a base, a seat on said frame, air flow conduit meansincluding chambers defined within hollow arm rest column-son theframe atthe sides of the seat with said columnshaving inwardly facing surfaces,a blower for directing a flow of air through said conduit means with theentire air discharge flowing through said air emission openings oninwardly facing surfaces of the arm rest, an air temperature controlmount- 5 ed in said conduit means for controllably conditioning thetemperature of the air flowing over the occupant in the chair, and anelectrical circuit connected to operate the blower extending up throughthe base of the chair and adapted to accommodate elevation and rotationof the chair frame with respect to the base.

7. A barber chair comprising, a chair frame rotatably and elevatablymounted on a base, a seat on said frame, air flow conduit meansincluding chambers defined Within hollow arm rest columns on the frameat the sides of the seat with said columns having inwardly facingsurfaces and outwardly facing sun'aces, means defining air emissionopenings in said inwardly facing surfaces for directing a flow of airbeneath a barber cloth over an occupant in the chair, a blower fordirecting a flow of air through said conduit means being mounted in saidconduit means, an electrical circuit to operate the blower and extendingup through the base of the chair and adapted to accommodate elevationand rotation of the chair frame with respect to the base, and controlmeans on the chair connected to said blower and to said electricalcircuit for controlling operation of the blower.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,898,738 Meutsch Feb. 21, 1933 2,493,303 McCullough Jan. 3, 19502,586,595 Ashby Feb. 19, 1952 2,587,731 Irving Mar. 4, 1952 2,703,134Mossor Mar. 1, 1955 2,738,593 Fox Mar. 20, 1956" 2,852,998 Serra Sept.23, 1958 2,987,116 Golden June 6, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 271,598Switzerland Feb. 1, 1951

1. A BARBER CHAIR COMPRISING A CHAIR FRAME ROTATABLY AND ELEVATABLYMOUNTED ON A BASE, A SEAT ON SAID FRAME, HOLLOW VERTICAL ARMREST COLUMNSON THE FRAME AT THE SIDES OF THE SEAT HAVING INWARDLY FACING SURFACE ANDOUTWARDLY FACING SURFACES, MEANS DEFINING AIR EMISSION OPENINGS IN SAIDINWARDLY FACING SURFACE FOR DIRECTING A FLOW OF AIR BENEATH A BARBERCLOTH OVER AN OCCUPANT IN THE CHAIR, THE OUTWARDLY FACING SURFACES BEINGENTIRELY IMPERFORATE SO THAT THE ENTIRE VOLUME OF AIR WILL DISCHARGEINWARDLY, CONDUIT MEANS INCLUDING THE HOLLOW ARMREST COLUMNS FORCHANNELLING A FLOW OF AIR TO SAID OPENINGS, A BLOWER FOR DIRECTING AFLOW OF AIR THROUGH SAID CONDUIT MEANS, AND AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUITCONNECTED TO OPERATE THE BLOWER EXTENDING UP THROUGH THE BASE OF THECHAIR AND ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE ELEVATION AND ROTATION OF THE CHAIRFRAME WITH RESPECT TO THE BASE.